Chicago, Cook Hook Up

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle last week said the two governments saved $20.5 million by collaborating in some areas over the last six months of 2011.

The two established the Joint Committee on City-County Collaboration last March to look at ways the two governments could streamline services and reduce costs. The committee issued a report last June detailing 19 areas ripe for collaboration that could save between $66 million to $140 million by 2014.

“This unprecedented collaboration has saved $20 million so far, and every day we are finding new opportunities to provide better services while saving money,” Emanuel said in a statement.

“The success of the first year of this collaboration is deeply gratifying, and proves that, working together, we can find new ways to save taxpayers money and improve services,” Preckwinkle said.

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Illinois
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